Political Foundations: College

Campaign photograph for Jerry Abramson's election to the Indiana University Union Board

Senator Robert Kennedy seated on stage at Indiana University in the spring of 1968. He is speaking with Jerry Abramson seated immediately to his left.

After graduating from Seneca High School, Jerry Abramson went on to attend Indiana University at Bloomington, where he majored in Business Economics and Public Policy. Active in campus life, he joined the Jewish fraternity ZBT (Zeta Beta Tau) and in 1966, ran for and was elected to the IU Union Board.  The Union Board was responsible for programming at the Indiana Memorial Union, then the largest student union complex in the world. 

In the spring of 1968 Abramson became deeply involved in the presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy. He was selected to lead Youth for Kennedy during the Indiana primary and meeting, working, and traveling with Senator Kennedy had a profound effect on Abramson, confirming his desire for a career in public service. Sadly, on June 6th, 1968, Senator Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.  Abramson was invited to be on the funeral train from New York to Washington but declined in order to attend his graduation ceremony.  

Listen to Jerry speak about his college career here.